FORMER WILKES-BARRE MAN CONVICTED OF ATTEMPTING TO
PROVIDE MATERIAL SUPPORT TO AL-QAEDA AND RELATED CHARGES

Thomas A. Marino, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced today that Michael Curtis Reynolds, age 49, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was convicted by a jury of attempting to provide material support to Al-Qaeda and related charges. He faces 67½ in prison. The jury returned the guilty verdicts in the courtroom of United States Court Judge Edwin M. Kosik after about an hour of deliberation.

According to U.S. Attorney Marino, the evidence at trial established that starting in October 2005, Michael Curtis Reynolds began an attempt to aid a foreign terrorist organization--Al-Qaeda. Reynolds' plan was to help Al-Qaeda units that he believed existed in Canada and this country to make an attempt to destroy fuel pipelines servicing the United States. He was motivated to solicit and assist in this proposed attack because he disagreed with war in Iraq, was angered by the revocation of his passport while he was in Thailand, and by his own personal greed.

Fortunately Reynolds' plan was reported to the FBI just as it was beginning. From that point, a cooperating witness and later an FBI Special Agent posing as an Al-Qaeda terrorist communicated with Reynolds over the Internet about his scheme. Posing as that terrorist, for approximately a month they discussed with Reynolds his targets and other details of his plan. This communication over the Internet involved more than 50 messages and lasted until December 5, 2005, when FBI Special Agents arrested Reynolds at a desolate rest stop near Pocatello, Idaho, commonly known in the area as Hell's Half Acre. Reynolds was arrested when he arrived to pick up what he believed would be $40,000, which was partial payment for his services and future services to the Al-Qaeda terrorists. The evidence at trial also established that Reynolds possessed an unregistered grenade within his storage locker in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Reynolds was convicted of attempting to provide material support to Al-Qaeda, a terrorist organization; attempting to provide material support and resources to be used in maliciously damaging or destroying property by means of force or explosive; soliciting others to engage in a felony using physical force against property; distributing over the Internet information to be used in furtherance of a crime of violence; and possession of an unregistered grenade. The jury acquitted him of another unregistered-grenade charge.

U.S. Attorney Marino stated, “Because of the astute work of the FBI, the diabolical plans of a would-be Al-Qaeda sympathizer were uncovered. Individuals such as Reynolds represent a threat to our safety. I commend the FBI and everyone involved in the prosecution of this case for bringing him to justice.”

Reynolds is presently imprisoned at the Lackawanna County Jail in Scranton, Pennsylvania, pending his sentencing which will occur in approximately five months.

This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus.

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